The Normand Energy, a deep-sea drilling ship, which sails under the flag of Norway. Image © Sandy Huffaker Jr. / Greenpeace.
“Norway is not dependent on Europe’s support, but they are close partners,” Webeler said. “This is a very unusual move that the European Parliament is criticizing a close partner like that, so it has strong political implications.”
Norway may even be reliant on the EU to make deep-sea mining a “financially viable industry,” said Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, a Norwegian campaigner at Greenpeace Nordic.
“Norway must be able to sell these minerals to a European market, and Norway is also counting on deep-sea mining getting included in the green taxonomy and being seen as a green industry,” Helle told Mongabay.
The green taxonomy is a framework being developed by the European Union to define economic activities that are considered environmentally sustainable.
Helle added that the resolution “shows an international commitment to stopping deep sea mining,” and that “Norway really must take this seriously.”
Maria Varteressian, the state secretary at Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Mongabay that Norway has taken note of the resolution, and emphasized that “no seabed mining activities have started in Norwegian waters.” She said that Norway will only proceed with deep-sea mining exploration with a “knowledge-based approach” and that “no exploitation activity will be allowed until we know more.”
“Norway and the European Union have a shared interest in and commitment to comprehensive, knowledge-based, and sustainable ocean management, which balances both conservation and sustainable use of ocean resources,” Varteressian said in an emailed statement.
“Our European partners may rest assured that these principles will form the basis of all activities in Norwegian waters,” she added. “We take our role as a sustainable ocean nation seriously and will continue to do so in the process to come.”
Banner image: A bearded seal in Svalbard. Image by Rob Oo via Flickr (CC BY 2.0).
Elizabeth Claire Alberts is a senior staff writer for Mongabay’s Ocean Desk. Follow her on Mastodon, @ECAlberts@journa.host, Blue Sky, @elizabethalberts.bsky.social, and Twitter @ECAlberts.
‘Really a sad day’ as Norway votes to allow deep-sea mining in Arctic waters
Source link : https://news.mongabay.com/2024/02/eu-parliament-expresses-disapproval-of-norways-deep-sea-mining-plans/
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Publish date : 2024-02-08 08:00:00
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